I don't know about you but this poem brings back great memories from my childhood. We had a pop-up book that told this poem and during the Christmas season my brother and I would make our mum read it for us. Reading this nowadays makes me remember about all the excitement of waiting for Father Christmas and wishing to be child yet again!

A few days ago I was flipping through some old albums and I came across these photos of me taken a really long time ago. (Definitely made me feel old) So here's little me during my first few Christmases and my brother who joined in the festivities a few years later. I thought that it would be fun to share the photos with you and this way I will actually be able to look at them. Otherwise they will probably remain hidden away for a couple more years. Christmas has always been one of my favourite holidays and although some of the magic surrounding this time has disappeared, I still continue to love it.

This December has been quite busy one especially on the blogging part. 12 days of blogmas was quite demanding. Although the posts took a lot of time to put together, I had a lot of fun coming up with all the Christmas themed ideas and taking the festive photos. Obviously I enjoyed reading everybody else's blogmas and they definitely helped me to get into Christmas spirit.

With that said, I have a lot of important projects to finish during the Christmas holidays and therefore I will be taking a short break from blogging. I will still be posting on Instagram and Twitter but What Sarah Writes will be a lot quieter. Hopefully I will return in 2017 with a refreshed mind and better content!

I wish everybody a merry Christmas filled with happiness and joy and food. Thank you for being part of my year and making it special! See you soon 💗

Saturday, 24 December 2016

First of all, where has the month gone? It's already the 22nd and Christmas is only a few days away! Today I finally finished the first school term and I'm quite happy that I won't have to go back for another two weeks. But on the other hand it only means that my A levels are now even closer!

With the Christmas parties and events in full swing, I thought that I would share an outfit that is both easy to put together and warm enough for the cold weather. You can never go wrong with putting together monochromatic items and adding a pop of colour. I love this type of outfit as all of the items are simple yet full of details. The polo neck* has a scalloped neck with crochet details on the front while the jeans has a velvet flower pattern down the leg. You cannot do without a coat during this season and this one has been my favourite. I love the fur attachment around the neck of this grey suede coat*. It is also lined with an extra layer on the inside so it will keep you snugly and warm while looking stylish. Heels are optional when it comes to dressing up for the holidays but I think that they make an outfit more put together. The bag* is the last festive staple. The gold chain ties in perfectly with the gold detail around the heels the the red adds a bit of colour.

Thursday, 22 December 2016

I love to bake and from time to time I like to try something new. Today I decided that I wanted to make ginger bread latte cupcakes since I wanted something a bit festive. So I found a recipe for a ginger bread latte and tried to turn it into a cake!

This recipe required a lot of guessing to be honest since I kind of made it along the way. A few weeks ago I bought a Christmas tree cupcake mold that I had been meaning to try so I decided to put it to the test today.

Ingredients

For the batter:

Vanilla cake mix

3 teaspoons Golden syrup

2 shots of coffee

1 heaped teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

a splash of milk

To garnish:

Nutella

White melting Chocolate

Sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat the oven at 180℃.

2. Follow the directions on box of the cake mix. You can also opt to make a simple vanilla batter from scratch. Once the batter is done set it aside.

3. In another bowl mix the coffee, syrup, ginger, cinnamon and milk together.

4. Gradually add the syrup to the cake mix, mixing every time you add more. You don't have to use all of it as this depends on how strong you want the taste to be.

5. Carefully fill in all the cupcake cases with the batter. Tap the dish gently so any trapped bubbles will rise to the surface. Place the dish in the oven for around 20 minutes.

6. Your cupcakes will be done once upon inserting a knife it will come out clean. Take out the cupcakes and leave them to cool.

7. Melt the chocolate while waiting for the cupcakes to cool.

8. Once they are cool enough transfer them onto a plate. You can decorate however you want. Since I did not find any green food colouring, I decided to just drip the white chocolate from the top and to add a few sprinkles to finish. You can also use Nutella or decorate them using a piping bag.

I hope that you will enjoy this recipe and try them out as I love how they turned out.

Tuesday, 20 December 2016

December has been going by so quickly! The month is already nearly over and 12 days of Blogmas will soon come to an end. In today's post I will be talking about the 10 things that I love the most about Christmas since it's one of my favourite holidays!

Sunday, 18 December 2016

I don't know about you but one of my favourite things to do during December is to curl up in a blanket, brew a cup of tea, grab a huge slice of cake and watch a Christmas film. So today I'm writing a run down of my favourites that I watch year after year.

Elf // Who hasn't watched Elf?! It's one of the best Christmas films ever. Buddy is so lovable. The story will definitely warm every cold heart.

Scrooged // I'm going to be honest here and say that I only watch it for the first time this year but I'm sure that I'll be watching it again. This film revolves around a huge tv executive whose only aim in life is to work. All in all I enjoyed this modern day take on A Christmas Carol.

The Polar Express // This is another childhood favourite of mine. Who wouldn't want to watch a movie about a train that takes children to the North Pole on Christmas eve? It also blows my mind that Tom Hanks voiced many of the characters in this film!

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York // Can I even write a Christmas films post without mentioning Home Alone? This is my favourite film from the Home alone Series because I love all traps that Kevin sets and the fact that its set in New York is an added bonus.

Fred Claus // This film is about Santa's brother, Fred who has lived his whole life in his brother's shadow. I find this really interesting since it is a different approach to the usual image of a Claus.

How The Grinch stole Christmas // This is my all time favourite film to watch. We used to watch it a lot when we were little and I continue to watch it now. I just love the cute town, all the festive decorations, the singing and obviously the Grinch!

Thursday, 15 December 2016

Hello, hello! With the festivities just around the corner I thought that I would share a makeup look that would be perfect for this period. It's a glowy and warm look with the obvious pick of a red lip because no Christmas makeup look is finished without this classic!

Face

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation - 103 true ivory

Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer - 010 ivory

Essence Mattifying Compact Powder - 11 pastel beige

Natural Collection Bronzing Pearls - Tropical Tan

3ina Cosmetics Blush - 105

Golden Rose Terracotta Stardust - 105

As I have said previously, I'm not one to experiment a lot with base makeup so I applied the usual products. This is both because I have found the products that don't break me out and well, I only have one foundation and concealer that I actually use. (Should I be ashamed to call myself beauty blogger? 😜)

Brows

Makeup Revolution Redemption Palette Hot Smoked

To shape my brows, I lightly filled them in to cover any sparse areas. I kept them looking quite natural and if you're interested I have a post dedicated to my full eyebrow routine.

Eyes

Zoeva Caramel Melange Palette - eyeshadows:

Start Soft

Finish Sensual

After Taste

Edible Gum

Liquid Center

Almost Burnt

Soap & Glory Supercat Liquid Black Eyeliner Pen

Kiko Ultra Tech Curve Curling Mascara

Now that we've got all the usual stuff down, on to the more exciting part! To create this eyeshadow look I used the Zoeva Caramel Melange palette which I'm currently obsessed with. I started by applied Start Soft all over the lid and blended Finish Sensual into the crease as a transitional shade. Next I took a little bit of After Tastes and applied that over the crease to add a pop of colour. To darken up the look I applied Edible Gum in the outer corner of the eye and blended Start Soft on the bottom lash line. Since it's a festive look, I wanted the eyes to look as sparkly as possible. I did this by applying Liquid Center in the middle of the lids and almost burnt in the inner corners. A simple cat eye and a quick coat of mascara on the top and bottom lashes finished the look.

Lips

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick - creme 225 rosewine

Catrice Infinite Shine Lipgloss -120 little red dress

Like I said previously, a red lip is Christmas staple. I have quite a few festive lipstick favourites but I ended up going for the Revlon one. I finished off the look by applying a little bit of red gloss in the middle of my lips to make them stand out more.

I was really excited to share today's post with you since it's a little extra special than usual. Why? you might ask. Well, as you can see below I have made a video and it's a makeup tutorial for this look! Before you watch the video keep in mind that I am not a makeup professional and this is just my way of doing my makeup. Makeup is a way of expression so everyone is entitled to apply it to their liking. I hope that you like it!

I'm still kind of new to video making and I say kind of because I used to make videos over two years ago. My YouTube channel has been laying dormant all this time...until now. I can't promise that there will be any videos any time soon since I'm really busy at the moment but there will be more uploads eventually.

Tuesday, 13 December 2016

The Autumn weather has finally arrived Malta, although today was particularly sunny! Today's look is an outfit that I have been wearing a lot lately since it's perfect for the colder temperatures.

My favourite way to accessorize is through earrings and in my staple jewelry post I mentioned that I love dainty and simple pieces. Pineal Vision Jewelry has so many gorgeous dainty items ranging from earrings, necklaces and rings all made from ethically sourced materials. The metals used in the jewelry are 80% reclaimed or from recycled sources. The two earrings that I was kindly sent are the U Earrings* and the Meridiad Stud Earrings*. The earrings are both beautifully handcrafted and made out of sterling silver. They also came wrapped in the cutest package with a sweet note from the seller herself. The ones that I love the most are they U earrings since their shape is really interesting which makes them extra special and unique.

As of today, my Christmas giveaway is closed and the winner has been chosen and contacted. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to fill in my survey. I enjoyed going over your feedback and it will definitely come in handy to improve my blog. Don't be sad if you didn't win as I can assure you that there will be more giveaways on my blog!

Sunday, 11 December 2016

If you are still looking for some Christmas gift inspiration, then you have come to the right place. I have put together a list items that will be perfect for beauty and skin care lovers and the best thing is that they won't break your bank.

Zoeva Caramel Melange palette // I recently bought this palette and I can't recommend it enough. It retails for 22.50 and it has a lovely range of warm toned eyeshadow ranging from matte to shimmer. It is perfect for everyday use while it's also great for more glammed up events. If you would like to know more about it, you can head over to my full review on this palette.

The Body Shop gift sets // When I'm stuck on what to buy as a present I always end up going for a set from the body shop. There are so many scents, prices and products to choose from. I would suggest to opt for a strawberry scented one since most people like it and it's a fail safe option. If you would like to be in the chance of winning a spiced apple set then head over to my Christmas giveaway. It closes tomorrow so hurry up and good luck!

EOS lip balm // With the current cold weather, having a lip balm at hand is always a good idea as no one likes to have chapped lips. These cute orb shaped evolution of smooth lip balms are perfect for carrying in your hand bag for moisturising on the go. Their interesting shape and size also makes them a great option as stocking fillers or secret santa gifts.

Sleek Solstice highlighter palette // This highlighter palette has been popping up everywhere in the last year and it's rightly so since it's gorgeous! The palette includes powder and cream highlights that can be used for both the face and for adding a bit of shimmer to your skin. This palette is next on my wishist and I can't wait to buy it.

Rosegal makeup brushes // If you are looking for a product that every beauty lover will use then opt for a brush set. There are many brands to choose from but Rosegal have some amazing options at a very affordable price. A few weeks ago I was sent and reviewed a rose gold brush set and I can't recommend it enough!

The Body Shop body butter // I'm sorry that I'm adding another body shop item but I love their products a little bit too much! If you have been reading my blog for a while then you will know that one of my favourite items is their body butter. They are so creamy and moisturising which make them perfect for this time of year. Again, there are many scents to choose from but I would suggest picking up the limited edition Christmas ones.

Friday, 9 December 2016

How is everybody doing today? Yesterday I go a bit creative and I decided to design a few festive phone wallpapers. I made all of these using Picmonkey photo editor and I'm quite happy with how they turned out. To download a wallpaper click on the corresponding link. The link will take you to Dropbox where you'll be able to download them.

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

If you follow my Instagram account you will have already seen the Caramel Melange palette in a photo and on my story. After trying it for a few weeks I can say that my love towards it has grown and I have decided to share my thoughts on it in this post today.

In my Autumn wishlist I mentioned that I wanted the Zoeva Cocoa blend that I had been looking at for a really long time. When I eventually decided to purchase it I saw this beautiful palette and fell in love with the Caramel Melange palette instead.

The Zoeva Caramel Melange palette is described as being sweet and smooth with the formulation enriched with vitamins E and free of parabens, mineral oils, perfume and phthalates. The packaging is decorated with caramel and gold details that reflect the shades inside perfectly. It is priced at €22.50 which in my opinion is a very reasonable price for the amount of shades that you get.

The 10 warm toned shades range from browns, caramels and toffee and the finishes are matte, metallic, pearl and matte with glitter. They are all creamy and easy to blend with minimal fall out. I find that it has an amazing range of shades that can be used either for everyday or for a more glam look. The three that I have been using the most are the bottom matte ones which go perfectly together and create the most beautiful looks. I definitely see myself reaching for it a lot during this festive season.

Monday, 5 December 2016

Another month has flown by and now we're only a few weeks away from 2017! As usual I'll be rounding up my favourites of the month.

The Body Shop Love ETC perfume // Now that the weather is colder I have not been wearing my usual scent as I found it to be too floral. Instead I have been reaching for this one. Its quite a sweet scent with the main notes being vanilla and marshmallow but it also has a musky scent that lasts longer and so is perfect for winter. While looking around for the link I found that it has actually been discontinued but apparently Avon have a similar scent.

Rosegal brush set* // A few weeks ago I reviewed a rosegold plated set which I really love and use everyday but I have been using these three brushes the most. The big brush is perfect for applying bronzer and powder since it's very light and fluffy. The smaller rounded brush works best for blush and highlight because of its size. Recently I have only been using this eyeshadow brush for my makeup looks (as you can probably tell!). Its perfect for applying the shades gently and easy to blend with.

Yankee Candle Merry Marshmallow // I love lighting candles in my room for ~ambiance~ and this has been my go to lately. It is basically the candle version of the perfume but obviously much sweeter.

Essence sheer & shine lipstick in I feel pretty // This lipstick is a very lovely wearable plum shade and easy to build. It also leaves a shine to the lips that fades out slowly like the colour. It is not that longlasting to be honest but it's still great for adding a pop of colour to my makeup look.

Christmas Songs // I have a confession to make... I have been listening to Christmas songs since the start of November! I just find them really cheerful and get me in the mood of the season. A few weeks ago I made a playlist on spotify of my favourite songs so feel free to follow along. I will be adding more as time goes by.

It's the 1st of December and that means that it's the official start to Blogmas! In one of my recent posts, I mentioned that I'll be doing 12 days of Blogmas in which I will post 12 festive posts during the days leading up to the 25th!

Today I'm bringing to you the staple Christmas item that you either love or hate: the ugly christmas sweater! I have put together some of my sweaters and jumpers that caught my eye. Some of them are full on Christmas but others are a little more subtle and can even be worn throughout all the colder months.